Newcastle Knights centre Tautau Moga is facing a massive fine of more than $90,000 from the club despite escaping a conviction after pleading guilty to assaulting a taxi-driver on Boxing Day last year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
![Tautau Moga arrives at Newcastle Court on Thursday. Tautau Moga arrives at Newcastle Court on Thursday.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/UfX4XDhNMhVpTbjzWZdknP/15be81de-4dda-4dd4-8598-e474182cf64f.jpg/r0_104_3133_1865_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Moga was placed on a six-month conditional release order by Magistrate Sharon Crews on Thursday for slapping a taxi driver outside a licenced premises in King Street following a day at the races.
But despite leaving court relatively unscathed, Moga is not expected to be as fortunate when he fronts the Knights football committee within the next fortnight.
He is certain to be handed a hefty penalty under the club's new behaviour policy, with players facing fines of up to 25 per cent of their salary for serious offences that bring the club into disrepute.
READ MORE:
Newcastle Local Court heard Moga had not consumed alcohol for three months prior to attending the Boxing Day races.
Moga was in the company of another man when he was refused entry to the King Street Hotel at about 10pm.
The pair then got into the rear seat of a nearby cab and gave the driver an address they wished to be taken to.
![The $90k taxi ride: Knights set to slap Moga with massive fine The $90k taxi ride: Knights set to slap Moga with massive fine](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/UfX4XDhNMhVpTbjzWZdknP/57a17d6f-8393-4aad-abae-29822c494690.jpg/r3_0_1198_671_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Moga then leaned forward and slapped the driver on the left cheek saying: "Are you dumb?"
The driver responded: "What's happening brother?" Moga then slapped the driver on the right cheek saying "Are you dumb?"
The driver stopped the cab and requested assistance from the hotel's security staff.
Police found Moga and his companion a short time later at King Street McDonalds.
Moga's companion complied with a request to produce his licence, however Tautau produced a Visa card and gave an incorrect date of birth.
He refused to provide further details and became hostile towards police. He was arrested and taken to Newcastle Police station.
Newcastle Local Court heard that Moga had not had a drink since the incident and had taken steps to improve his lifestyle.
This included contacting the taxi driver to apologise and to check on his welfare.
"He doesn't want this matter to define him," Moga's lawyer Mark Evans told the court.
Three references were tendered to the court testifying to Moga's good character.
The court heard Moga was studying to be a youth worker with his church and sought to be seen as role model among young people.
In dismissing the charge, Magistrate Crews said she accepted Moga's remorse was genuine.
"You want to be a role model, this is not the way to go about it," she said.
Moga's teammate Jacob Saifiti was hit with a $50,000 fine [half suspended] earlier in the year for his involvement in an incident outside a Hamilton hotel where he wasn't charged by police.
It's understood Moga is on a contract worth around $380,000 this season which could see him potentially fined as much as $95,000.
Knights chief executive Phil Gardner confirmed Moga is facing a club-sanctioned penalty following his court appearance.
"I'll call a meeting of our football committee where we will consider what's happened and decide what action we will take," he told the Newcastle Herald.
"We have to give the player seven days notice so the hearing will more than likely be the week after next."
Mr Gardner, who ruled out any suspension for Moga, would not speculate on the size of a the fine.
"I've been firm in my view as to where it [the punishment] has to be but it's up to the committee to assess that and decide what the outcome is going to be," he said.
In Moga's defence, Mr Gardner said the star centre, who is on the comeback trail after serious knee surgery, has learnt a valuable lesson following the controversy.
"He's shown all the right moves since it happend," he said.
"He's been very contrite. His apologies to everybody have been sincere and we have seen a very different Tau Moga since it happened. It's a positive result in court under the circumstances and I'm very much hoping this is the making of him.
"He's got a redemption path going forward and we're expecting a lot more from him in relation to the community and doing a lot more with youth. He's is committing to all of that.
"Sometimes, some good can come out of bad. This might be one of those cases. I've certainly seen a change In Tau and his attitude around training is certainly a lot different to what it was and that's a credit to him."
Mr Gardner does not believe the NRL will intervene in the penalty process.
"The NRL has the capacity to come in and act if they think the way we have handled it is not strong enough but as Todd Greenberg [NRL CEO] said to me at the last CEO's meeting, 'Phil, we have no concerns with you around penalties'," he said.